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When Bermuda's U-19 rugby team was handed the toughest road to the finals, the only thing they could do is project extreme confidence.

And that's exactly what they've done.

Playing for the first time in the Under-19 Caribbean Championships - which is serving as a World Cup qualifier - the boys are seeded last. One miss-step and any dreams of advancing will be shattered.

Their World Cup dreams face its first hurdle against emerging power Mexico in Cayman this weekend. Coach Herbie Adderley is confident they will advance to face the winner of Guyana-Trinidad.

He said: "This is the first time we've ever entered it so we're not quite sure what to expect, but we go in expecting to win.

"It's going to be a hard game against Mexico. They were runners-up last year in the tournament and I've heard they've improved every year so we're expecting a hard match."

He'll be able to count on several guys who have had opportunities to play with the senior team. Those players include: scrumhalf Shauntino Simons, second row Colin Campbell, inside centre Mark James and fullback Rory O'Kelly Lynch.

"This is a good bunch of boys," Adderley said. "Our biggest strength will probably be their commitment to win. They hate losing - they really do. They're a physical team and they work within their means. They don't try doing more than what they're capable of."

"If we win the tournament, then we go into the next round of qualifying for the World Cup. We have to win three matches. After we beat Mexico, then we play the winner of Trinidad and Guyana and when we beat them, we'll probably be meeting Cayman. They were seeded number one. We're actually seeded last because we're new to the tournament."

Tour games

As part of their warm-up they played touring teams from Canada and Rhode Island in March.

The Under-19 programme is new and is "the last step of the youth programme," he said. "We're solid in the mini-rugby level, but then it sort of tails off when they 13 or 14 so it's nice to know now that those kids growing up can realize that there is something else after the mini rugby programme."

Shauntino Simons is looking forward to helping the next generation of players to show what they can do. "This will be our first time competing in the championships, but we had played in Canada once before in a couple of friendly matches, but this will be our first real competition."

But like his coach, he's not lacking confidence.

"We've looked at a little footage from them (Mexico). I have faith in the team that we can do pretty good if we stick to the game plan and get the job done, then we shouldn't have a problem winning.

"We think we'll have one of the bigger teams so we plan on getting the ball in close and using our big men to smash it up the middle to weaken their defence. Once they respect our short running game, then we'll try to spin it out wide and take advantages of the fringes."

Simons added that the older veterans from the senior team has helped him mature as a rugby player.

"I've learned a lot playing with the men's team. I've learned about leadership qualities and I think that will be a big plus for when we go down there because there are a couple of guys who have been playing on the senior men's team."

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